STEM-TAC Committee

Dr. Debra K. Gallagher, assistant professor of education, and Dr. Maria F. Raiti, associate professor of mathematics, have been appointed to Ohio’s science and mathematics education standards review team.

The Ohio Academy of Science has selected 31 Ohio pre-college faculty members and 121 professors and researchers from 38 colleges and universities to review Ohio’s draft science and mathematics education standards and to advise the academy on evidence-based educational policy for the Ohio School Funding Advisory Council.

Lynn Elfner, the academy's CEO, said "Presidents of 38 colleges and universities recommended the college faculty and researchers.”

Known as *STEM-TAC, for science, technology, engineering and mathematics teacher advisory committee, the Academy’s committee will:

(1) examine how well the draft science education standards address scientific inquiry and technological design, the central focus of the standards;

(2) assess the scientific accuracy of the PreK-8content statements;

(3) consider how the draft standards will help prepare high school students for college introductory STEM classes; and

(4) determine how effective the mathematics standards will be to help teachers teach science at the pre-college andcollege level.

The Ohio Department of Education (ODE) has delayed the release of the mathematics standards pending release of the national common core mathematics standards in January 2010. ODE may add up to 15 percent additional “Ohio” material to the national mathematics standards.

Inquiry and technological design as both pedagogy (how we teach) and content are the central focus of Ohio’s science education standards according to the just-released draft science education standards.